Malaria burden in sub-Saharan Africa, the development of RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix) vaccine, WHO recommendation in 2021, efficacy data, and the newer R21/Matrix-M candidate.
Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and treatable, yet it continues to impose a devastating toll on human health worldwide.
The disease disproportionately affects young children and pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa, where transmission is year-round and the parasite burden is highest.
After decades of development, RTS,S (brand name Mosquirix) became the first malaria vaccine to receive WHO recommendation in October 2021. It targets Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest malaria parasite.
The pivotal trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00866619) enrolled ~15,000 children across 7 African countries:
WHO coordinated pilot implementation programs in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi from 2019-2022, demonstrating feasibility of delivering a 4-dose childhood vaccine in routine immunization programs.
In October 2021, WHO recommended widespread use of RTS,S in children living in areas with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission. This was a historic milestone as the first vaccine against a parasitic disease.
The R21 vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by Serum Institute of India, represents a next-generation malaria vaccine with higher efficacy potential.